What Are the Best Exercises for Lower Back Pain?
Here are the best warm up exercises to prevent lower back pain when deadlifting
Lower back pain is common with the deadlift. A lot of clients over utilize their back muscles and don’t use their hip muscles enough. Deadlift technique plays a major role in preventing low back pain. I wrote a blog on this previously which can be accessed HERE. In this blog, we will discuss what the best exercises are for lower back pain.
In addition to technique, we can use specific warm up exercises to activate the muscles that help perform the deadlift exercise. Activating these muscles early and often will assist you in preventing low back pain while deadlifting. The muscles you want to focus on are the glutes, hamstrings, transversus abdominus, latissimus dorsi, multifidi. Don’t worry about the anatomy- I’ll worry about it for you!
Check out some of my favorite exercise below:
1. Tall Kneeling Hip Hinge with Mobility Band:
This exercise allows you to focus on the hip hinge pattern associated with the deadlift without having to worry about what’s happening at your feet. The mobility band facilitates some resistance to ensure that you properly engage your gluteal muscles. Be sure to avoid arching your back during the exercise.
2. Dead Bug with Lat Engagement:
This exercise allows you to focus on engaging your core muscles while moving at the hip. It helps with something called lumbopelvic awareness and hip dissociation. In English, that means where is my pelvis in space, and can I move my hip joint without moving my pelvis. The mobility band is used to engage the latissimus dorsi muscle, which connects to the gluteals via the thoracolumbar fascia (see photo below). The engagement of these muscles will help you to avoid low back pain while deadlifting!
3. Standing Hip Hinge with Dowel:
This exercise focuses on proper hip hinging technique. You want to keep the dowel flush against your back. Don’t allow it to come off of your back as you hinge. This ensures proper activation of the posterior chain (hamstrings and gluteals). It will also allow you to perform the movement pattern used during the deadlift, but without weight. That will prime the nervous system appropriately, sending neuronal signals to the joints and muscles that are about to do the work.
4. Glute Bridge:
This exercise activates the gluteus maximus and ensures that you won’t be lifting from your back. Be sure to avoid low back hyperextension, lifting from your hips. Push through the soles of your feet as you lift up. You will be pushing through the soles of your feet during the deadlift exercise.
There are endless options when it comes to warming up for the deadlift, but these exercises are some of the best! I like to have my clients perform 1-2 sets of 12-15 repetitions before they begin deadlifting. Always remember to start light when lifting. Perform 1-2 warm up sets before you begin your “working sets.” And remember, not every day is a 1 rep max (RM) day. Depending on your goals, the weight you use during your working sets should be anywhere between 50-80% of your 1-RM. If you are unsure what your 1-RM is, I would recommend a 1-RM calculator that can be found online. Use that to guide you in your decision making.
These exercises will help you to avoid low back pain when deadlifting. They will also be a great warm up if you have low back pain and want to continue training AROUND the pain. I always recommend that people continue training, as long as they can find an alternative to Barbell deadlifting in the meantime that doesn’t bring about increasing pain during, directly after, or the next day after the workout.
My next blog post will demonstrate all the different regressions of deadlifting, and how you can build back up to a pain free barbell deadlift, safely.
If you, or anybody you know is dealing with low back pain (from deadlifting or any other reason), feel free to reach out to us.
Disclaimer: This is not intended to be formal medical advice. Your individual needs should be met by the appropriate health care practitioners. Please consult with a trusted provider.
Dr. Paul Nasri, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
The Game Plan Physical Therapy
